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I-75 to close overnight

The Ponce de Leon Blvd. overpass over Interstate 75 in North Port was closed after a dump truck, with the bed inadvertently left in an upright position, smashed into an overpass at Ponce De Leon Boulevard as the vehicle was traveling south on the interstate, according to reports. Photo by Matt Houston

Published: Friday, December 20, 2013 at 10:55 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, December 20, 2013 at 10:55 a.m.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers are cautiously optimistic that workers will be able to repair a damaged Interstate 75 overpass by Sunday.

The southbound lanes of I-75 between River Road and Sumter Boulevard will close from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights to allow workers to install a new support beam and make sure it is safe for cars to drive underneath the Ponce De Leon Boulevard overpass.

The overpass was damaged when 56-year-old Bonnie Ramsingh, of North Miami, slammed his dump truck, with its bed elevated, into the concrete bridge at about 2:35 a.m. Wednesday.

Although traffic over the Ponce De Leon Boulevard overpass will remain closed for part of next week, authorities hope to permanently open the southbound lanes of I-75 between River Road and Sumter Boulevard once work is finished on Sunday morning.

Kenn Watson, an FHP trooper, said a replacement support beam for the one that was cracked in the accident should arrive at the overpass tonight.

Ramsingh, who was driving with a revoked commercial license, was hired as a subcontractor by Colombian-based Conalvias Construction. The company was awarded a $35 million contract by the Florida Department of Transportation to expand I-75 from two lanes to three lanes between exits 181 and 182.

After he drove away from the construction site Wednesday morning and smashed into the overpass, the truck's bed became completely detached and stood vertically in the road as Ramsingh kept driving for about ¾ of a mile. Then, he walked an additional 2 1/2 miles off of the Interstate, down Sumter Boulevard and to a 7-Eleven, where he bought a soda.

He never called police, but North Port Police Department officers caught up with him in the convenience store. He was arrested on charges of fleeing the scene of an accident with property damage and driving without a commercial driver's license.

The accident shutdown southbound lanes of I-75 between River Road and Sumter Boulevard for most of the day Wednesday and again on Thursday evening.

Authorities will have to shut down the southbound lanes again from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. today and Saturday as workers install the new support beam to the overpass.

Drivers are being detoured at River Road to U.S. 41, where they are rerouted at Sumter Boulevard back onto I-75.

Yesterday, Watson with the FHP said traffic was especially congested on U.S. 41 and urged drivers to add an extra hour to their travel times.

“Tempers are short this time of the year, plus there are twice as many vehicles on the road thanks to our friends from up North,” Watson said. “I would ask people, again, to be patient. They're going to have to tack on that extra get-home time through tomorrow night.”

<p>Florida Highway Patrol troopers are cautiously optimistic that workers will be able to repair a damaged Interstate 75 overpass by Sunday.</p><p>The southbound lanes of I-75 between River Road and Sumter Boulevard will close from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights to allow workers to install a new support beam and make sure it is safe for cars to drive underneath the Ponce De Leon Boulevard overpass.</p><p>The overpass was damaged when 56-year-old Bonnie Ramsingh, of North Miami, slammed his dump truck, with its bed elevated, into the concrete bridge at about 2:35 a.m. Wednesday.</p><p>Although traffic over the Ponce De Leon Boulevard overpass will remain closed for part of next week, authorities hope to permanently open the southbound lanes of I-75 between River Road and Sumter Boulevard once work is finished on Sunday morning.</p><p>Kenn Watson, an FHP trooper, said a replacement support beam for the one that was cracked in the accident should arrive at the overpass tonight.</p><p>Ramsingh, who was driving with a revoked commercial license, was hired as a subcontractor by Colombian-based Conalvias Construction. The company was awarded a $35 million contract by the Florida Department of Transportation to expand I-75 from two lanes to three lanes between exits 181 and 182.</p><p>After he drove away from the construction site Wednesday morning and smashed into the overpass, the truck's bed became completely detached and stood vertically in the road as Ramsingh kept driving for about ¾ of a mile. Then, he walked an additional 2 1/2 miles off of the Interstate, down Sumter Boulevard and to a 7-Eleven, where he bought a soda.</p><p>He never called police, but North Port Police Department officers caught up with him in the convenience store. He was arrested on charges of fleeing the scene of an accident with property damage and driving without a commercial driver's license.</p><p>The accident shutdown southbound lanes of I-75 between River Road and Sumter Boulevard for most of the day Wednesday and again on Thursday evening.</p><p>Authorities will have to shut down the southbound lanes again from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. today and Saturday as workers install the new support beam to the overpass.</p><p>Drivers are being detoured at River Road to U.S. 41, where they are rerouted at Sumter Boulevard back onto I-75.</p><p>Yesterday, Watson with the FHP said traffic was especially congested on U.S. 41 and urged drivers to add an extra hour to their travel times.</p><p>“Tempers are short this time of the year, plus there are twice as many vehicles on the road thanks to our friends from up North,” Watson said. “I would ask people, again, to be patient. They're going to have to tack on that extra get-home time through tomorrow night.”</p>